Listen for America: Musical Portrayals of the United States

Gershwin once described his Rhapsody in Blue as “a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America – of our vast melting pot, of our unduplicated national pep, of our blues, our metropolitan madness”. But how well does music present the US, and which America does any one example present?

This course looks at classical works ranging from Dvo?ák’s New World Symphony to John Adams’ City Noir (a portrait of LA).  We’ll discuss what they say about the country and what they sometimes reveal about the point of view of outsiders. At the same time, how do classical music impressions compare with Rock, Pop and Jazz? Do we agree with these expressions of national identity? Come join me on a musical journey “from sea to shining sea”.